Spring cleaning might get most of the good press, but it's not the only time of year to clean out apartment storage spaces. Most people prefer to get ready for fall festivals and football season by doing a thorough closet clean-out. A few closet organization tips will make it a whole lot easier to find those team colors and infinity scarves, right?
According to an Apartment Guide survey, 80 percent of people reorganize or clean out their apartment between summer and fall. The survey also revealed that 39 percent of people conduct major apartment cleaning once a month, while 31 percent perform a big apartment clean at least seasonally.
Organizing and putting away clothes topped the list of challenging tasks for about half the respondents. Although there's not just one way to organize a closet, these closet organization tips are a good place to start.
Start by emptying the entire closet and dividing all items into four piles — keep, trash, sell and donate. If you find yourself waffling, follow your instincts. Anything that hasn't been worn in years isn't likely to make a public appearance anytime soon, so do yourself a favor and send it on its way.
One option for items still in good shape is to donate them to a charitable organization, such as the Vietnam Veterans of America or the Salvation Army, and enjoy a tax write-off (and feel good about yourself at the same time).
Or, do as organization expert Lisa Zaslow says and fatten up your bank account a little. Her best closet organization tip is this: before trashing or donating, she suggests surveying the goods for untapped cash potential.
Why not make some money as you declutter by selling items which are only taking up precious storage space in your apartment? Whether you opt to sell clothes online or at a gently used goods shop, it's one way to recoup some of the investment you originally put into them.
Even the nicest apartments leave something to be desired in terms of closet space. Fortunately, the home organization industry is bursting with options, especially when it comes to closets.
First, measure the closet and take note of your findings. Then, check online or at your local home improvement store for space-saving add-ons, like over-the-door shoe or accessory racks, wire baskets or even shockingly affordable closet systems to maximize the area's potential.
Before installing anything permanent, however, be sure to check with your landlord or property management company to get the OK. For that extra touch, chuck all of your old mismatched wire and plastic hangers for new sets.
Don't go to all the trouble of cleaning out your closet and purchasing organizers just to throw your stuff back in haphazardly. Instead, really think through how your things should be organized.
If you have enough space, sort by season, with similar items, such as tank tops, outerwear and dress pants grouped in their own area. From there, sort according to color and purpose (clothes for work, exercise, going out on the town, and so on). Don't forget to secure a spot for each type of accessories, such as ties, belts, hats and scarves.
Cleaning out a closet is easy. Keeping it that way is a whole different task. From the beginning, really commit to returning items to the appropriate spot, so that you can continue to enjoy your newly revamped closet. Then, keep it manageable by getting rid of one old item per each new piece you buy in the future.
Before you roll up your sleeves and get to work, take a glance at our infographic for inspirational closet organization tips!
The survey was conducted among 1,000 adults in the U.S. The interviews were conducted online by RedShift Research in March 2013 using an email invitation and an online survey. Quotas were set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total populations aged 18 and older. The margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level is, plus or minus, 3.1 percentage points.